WYLD Card Policy

APPROVED BY THE WYLD REGIONAL COUNCIL AND WYLD
GOVERNING BOARD (5/7/99) and the WYLD USERS GROUP

The purpose of this policy is to insure uniform borrowing standards that will enable Wyoming patrons to use the facilities of any cooperating library in Wyoming. Individual libraries may approve more lenient policies.

Wyoming patrons may borrow from cooperating libraries regardless of residence, if they meet the following criteria:

Are at least 18 years old (or younger, as determined by the lending library).

Have a patron record in WYLD and a Wyoming library card and/or a photo ID. A photo ID has to be accepted only when the patron has a record in WYLD and is from a library that does not issue library cards.

Patron records in WYLD are owned jointly by all WYLD member libraries, with the patron's home library recognized as having the primary responsibility and right to manage the record in accordance with their local policy. Other libraries may update addresses and phone numbers and edit the existing record when appropriate and in accordance with the following procedures.

When a patron applies for a library card at a WYLD library, and there is already an existing patron record in WYLD, the library processing the new application may use the existing record and edit it with their information if the following conditions are met:

It is critical that the identity of the patron be verified and the staff member is certain they have the correct patron record before it is edited.

The patron must be informed that their library card from their previous library will no longer be valid. The library also has the option of allowing the patron to use their existing card instead of being issued a new one. At no time will any library edit an existing school or community college record. The management of student records in WYLD is unique to each institution and must be respected as such by all members.

The patron must agree to the existing record being edited based on the fact that they do not need or intend to use their old library card at the previous library.

A patron will not be charged a replacement card fee when an existing WYLD record from another library is edited.

The library overlaying the patron's record will e-mail the library whose record was edited informing them that the patron is no longer registered in their library. The e-mail should be sent to the library's circulation mail box and contain the patron's name, previous barcode number, and new barcode number. This will enable libraries to manage their library card applications in accordance with local policy.

WYLD libraries are strongly encouraged to support each other to the utmost of their ability by not issuing new cards and refusing service to patrons who are delinquent with other libraries because of fines, fees or overdue materials. While local policy will affect this mutual support, it is imperative that each library do its best to help other libraries recover materials and fees.

Any WYLD library may collect fines from an NC patron using the following guidelines:

Libraries may collect fines from an NC patron if the amount is $5.00 or less and will not be responsible for forwarding the money to the patron's home library.

If an NC patron has fines over $5.00 the host library may, at their discretion, accept payment and forward it to the library where the fines are owed. If payment is accepted for lost or damaged materials, the host library must make a print screen or record the titles and barcodes of the items being paid for and enclose this information with the payment. It is recommended that this be done when the patron is willing to make out a check payable to the library where the fines are owed and it can then be mailed directly to them.

We agree to lend at least two books to a patron from any other cooperating library. We understand that this is the minimum a patron can expect and actual lending limits will vary library to library.

We accept responsibility for informing our patrons of the minimum standards they can expect to encounter statewide and for informing guest patrons of our policies.

Any WYLD library may update the address and phone number of an NC patron using their library. At the time the record is updated the patron should be told they need to update their registration with their home library. When this information is updated a note will be put in the note field informing the home library of this update so they can verify the information in accordance with their local policies. The note should include the date, initials of the person entering the update and an identification of the library where the update was done. For example: "Address/phone updated, 3/4/98 SNS LCLS."

We will make the patron aware that he/she is responsible for returning materials to the lending library. The Wyoming State Library will supply an initial stock of mailers that can be used by the library or the patron to return materials via mail.

The WYLD office will be asked to help keep statistics on statewide borrowing to be used in reevaluating these policies.

The Wyoming State Library will reimburse any library for unrecoverable materials, in excess of $25.00 per library, that were checked out by a guest patron or patrons. This commitment is reviewed each year and renewal is considered.

Prior to requesting reimbursement from the Wyoming State Library for unrecoverable materials, we will attempt to recover the materials in accordance with our own policies and, if applicable, Wyoming Statute 18-7-105(c) which states "Holders of library cards are responsible for all library materials borrowed on such cards. Whenever library materials are lost, destroyed, or taken from the library and not returned the library board may institute proceedings in any court of competent jurisdiction to recover the materials or the value thereof."

The University of Wyoming (UW) libraries are open to all Wyoming residents. Anyone borrowing materials from the UW libraries must have a CARL barcode which will be issued by the UW libraries.

If a UW library card holder uses a WYLD library and is unable to get a library card in accordance with the host library's policies, then the host library will create a record in WYLD for the patron. The patron class will be NC and the host library will attach the WYLD barcode to the patron's UW library card. This WYLD barcode may then be used by all cooperating libraries.